We've all been there....sitting in meetings with the gal or the guy who repeats the same buzz words over and OVER again, while the teeth in the back of your mouth grind deeper and deeper into each other.  Or, worse yet, you totally disconnect from the discussion altogether.  

While we DO need to work hard on successful communication practices, I thought I would share a comical view of some of these overused terms and phrases that drive columnist, author and blogger, Shelley Emling of the Huffington Post, crazy.

Click here to have a good laugh.


Keep talking and, as always, take good care.

Columnist and author Peggy Noonan says this ad worked because it spoke respectfully and even reverently of others. Noonan said in her Wall Street Journal blog,  “We don't do that so much anymore. We're afraid of looking corny or naive, so we keep things bland and nonspecific.”

She is right and that bland nonspecificity is a huge missed opportunity.  You have to say something.  Be something.  Do something.  You have to share.  Let your employees know if you are worried about a particular quarter or yearly projections – and tell them why.  Conversely, when good things happen, let them know how it makes you feel and how pleased you are to be doing the work you are doing – with them.

I write speeches for CEOs and large organizations and I have a client I’ve worked with for many years.  I love brainstorming with him on topics and helping him put together the finished product.  But, for a recent all-employee gathering, he told me he knew what he wanted to say and was going to do this one alone.

His presentation was quite personal and in it talked a great deal about his goals, hopes and dreams for the organization.  In a word, it was fabulous.  Afterward, many of his colleagues, who know I have been working with him and the organization for a long time, came up to me with congratulatory comments such as “…this was his best speech ever” and “wow, he was so loose and comfortable up there, it was fantastic.”  

When I shared this feedback with my client we both laughed because 1) of course, I couldn’t take credit for his great work and 2) his great work was a direct result of him simply speaking from the heart.  He was at ease and comfortable because the stuff that came from the heart is what really mattered and his peers and colleagues savored it.

While I love the tune, I have to say I disagree with the way the lyrics to the Damn Yankees song continue – to be successful, you don’t necessarily need “miles and miles and miles of heart.”  In this case, even a little bit will go a long way.  Just put yourself out there; you’ll be glad you did.

Take good care.

                                         {This post previously published by Susan April 25, 2013}


As a result of two back surgeries, I’ve had the benefit of a great deal of physical therapy and specialized Pilates work. 

As I was walking today (part of my daily regimen to remain upright) I was thinking about something interesting my talented and very knowledgeable Pilates Coach, Jill Wolf, said to me early after my second lumbar fusion surgery, when my muscles were so tight and so tense, I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be able to stand up straight again.  

She said, “tension is simply the lack of movement… the lack of action.”  Of course, for me and my fused back, this “movement” means daily exercises and aerobic activities.  As I thought about this statement further, however, I thought it offered valuable lessons in many other areas as well, particularly in business.  

Tension in the workplace most often arises when there is poor, or worse, no communication.  Clients don’t hear from their firm enough and, thus, they begin to feel disengaged.  This tension lingers and heightens the longer the gaps between communications lengthen.  A worse, but, unfortunately, very common example, is when a client is frustrated with the cost of a bill.  Rather than sit down and discuss the situation, both parties let the situation fester, inevitably leading to increased and completely unnecessary tension.  And, these are just two small examples.

It sounds simple, but it is so true; communication is critical to success and, conversely, lack of communication will most certainly lead to tension.  As it does within our muscles and bodies, tension can wreck havoc on an organization and it can take months, if not years, for a full recovery to take place.

Some tips and exercises to keep your organization “tension-free” include: 

Visit your clients regularly – and often at your expense.

• Call frequently between visits; not just when you have news on a case but, simply to say hello and to see how the client is doing.  Let them know you care.
• Attend Board Meetings, attend company picnics (when allowed), host 360 degree evaluations, do whatever it takes to become part of the fabric of the organization.
  

Celebrate successes. 

• If a client or someone within the organization is recognized for civic or charitable work, recognize it with a personal note or some other communication.  (Again, clients want to work with people who care about who they are and the work they do).
  

Keep your client abreast.

• Never underestimate the client’s interest in keeping involved in a transaction.
• Let’s also not forget, unless it is your birthday, nobody likes surprises.
  

If you sense trouble – of any kind – get AHEAD of it.

• Address the situation directly: “It looks like the bill is going to be higher than we thought.  Before we send you the invoice, I wanted to go over it with you in person.”
• Get on a plane and meet with the client immediately.  Do not let a problem linger.
• Know when e-mail is and is not appropriate.  In times of tension, face-to-face or phone communication is typically best.
  

Talk it out.

• At the end of the day, we are all human and, while we may disagree on certain things, it is hard not to respect a good discussion on the issues.
  

Stay limber and, as always, 
take good care.